Learning About You
by musicgirl1120
Summary: When Maggie gets a horrible case of food poisoning a few months into their relationship, Alex is determined to learn what sick Maggie likes and how to make her feel better.


**Hey Guys! Thanks for all your reviews on my last story and for all the suggestions! I've already started another story based on some of those suggestions, but I actually already had this one done so I decided to publish it! I hope you enjoy it! **

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Alex opened the door to her apartment after a long day. She had gotten called to the DEO at three in the morning because of some alien attack and had worked all day. It was now 10 pm, and all she wanted to do was order some pizza, put on Rizzoli and Isles, and cuddle on the couch with Maggie.

However, when she came into the apartment and it was dark, she figured Maggie was still at work, putting a slight damper on her plans. She turned on the lights, hanging up her bag before going into the bedroom to change into her pajamas.

What she was not expecting, however, was to find Maggie curled up in bed sleeping. Alex went over to the sleeping woman, brushing a piece of hair off of her face. That's when Alex saw just how pale Maggie's face was. She was wondering if she should wake her girlfriend up and check on her or just let her sleep.

Alex didn't have to make the decision, however, because Maggie's eyes fluttered open.

"Hey babe," Alex said, sitting down on the bed next to Maggie, "What's going on with you?"

"I feel like shit," Maggie said, curling her knees up to her chest, "We went to this new Italian place for dinner, and I'm pretty sure I have food poisoning. I got sent home because I spent over an hour in the bathroom a little while after we got back."

"Why didn't you call?" Alex asked, rubbing Maggie's sweaty back.

"I was going to," the Latina said, "But I got home and spent a good thirty minutes on the toilet with my head in a trash can. Then I came in here and fell asleep about ten minutes ago, and then it's now."

"I'm sorry," Alex said, frowning, "How are you feeling now?"

"Like I'm going to end up back in the bathroom in about five minutes," Maggie said, sitting up a little, "I don't know what did it, but I have never had food poisoning this bad before."

Alex drew Maggie to her, kissing her temple which was sweaty, yet not hot.

"I need to go to the bathroom," Maggie said, getting up, "Don't follow me."

Alex let Maggie go, sighing as she heard her girlfriend retching through the door. Alex grabbed out some pajamas, changing before going into the kitchen.

She opened the fridge, finding they had some ginger ale left. Alex ate a crappy diet 90% of the time so upset stomachs were a fairly regular occurrence meaning they kept ginger ale on hand at all times. She poured it into a glass with some ice, bringing it to the bedroom and setting it on the nightstand.

She then decided to call Kara, not totally knowing what Maggie liked when she was sick, but deciding she was going to need some supplies because she hadn't been sick like this in a while and had nothing to help Maggie.

"Hey Alex," Kara said, picking up her phone, "What's up?"

"Maggie's sick," Alex said, not wasting time.

"Oh no," Kara said, "What's wrong with her?"

"Food poisoning," Alex said with a sigh, "She's really not feeling well at all. And she hasn't been sick since we started dating and I don't totally know how to help her, but I figured she probably would like some Gatorade maybe. And some veggie broth and saltines. And I need you to bring me an IV kit and a few bags of fluids from the DEO, and maybe some anti-nausea meds I can add to the IV. Ask Hamilton for help. At the rate that Maggie's getting sick, I think I'm going to need to give her an IV at some point." "Of course," Kara said, "I'll see you soon."

"Thanks Kar," Alex said, hanging up.

Alex wasn't totally sure what to do next. She didn't have much experience taking care of sick people. Kara didn't really get sick and Alex hadn't had a significant other in a really long time. Heck, before Maggie, she hadn't really been on a date in over two years. She was a partly trained doctor, true, but she wanted to make Maggie feel comforted.

Alex heard the bathroom door open and saw Maggie coming out of the bathroom, leaning on the doorframe for a second before walking the three steps to the bed.

"Babe," Alex said, going quickly to Maggie who had simply belly flopped onto the bed, feet still dangling off the edge.

"I feel horrible," Maggie said, turning her head to face Alex, "My body hates me."

"No one could hate you," Alex said, rubbing Maggie's back.

"Shut up," Maggie said, smiling at Alex a little before a grimace came over her face.

"Wanna climb into bed?" Alex asked, looking down at Maggie.

Maggie just shrugged but moved to get into a better position on the bed as Alex moved.

"I feel terrible Alex," Maggie said, curling up into a ball, "I tried to take a sip of water while I was in the bathroom, and I didn't even make it to the trashcan before I threw it up. I just threw up in the sink."

"I'm sorry you feel so terrible," Alex said, kissing Maggie's temple, "Is there anything I can do?"

"I don't know," Maggie said, sitting up for a second, feeling her stomach start to clench. However, it calmed back down, allowing her to lay back down.

"False alarm," Maggie said, burping a little, "I don't know how there's anything left in my body. I have literally probably thrown up thirty times, not to mention what's happening on the other end. I don't think I've ever lost this much fluid in such a short time."

"I'm sorry," Alex said, frowning as she pulled Maggie close.

"I don't know why I came here when I got sent home from work today," Maggie said, pushing away from Alex, "I should have just gone to my place. You don't need to deal with all of this. I'm just gonna go."

"Hey," Alex said, easily overpowering Maggie's attempts to push her away, holding her close, "I want to be here for you."

"This is gross," Maggie said, not looking at Alex, "I'm gross."

"You're not," Alex said reassuringly, "You could never be gross. I want to take care of you."

Maggie didn't have the strength to fight, relenting and curling into Alex's chest.

"Hello?" the two women heard a few minutes late.

"In here Kara," Alex called quietly, knowing her sister could hear them.

The blonde come in with her hands full of bags.

"Hey Alex," Kara said, smiling at her sister, "Hey Maggie. Sorry you aren't feeling well."

Maggie just buried her face in Alex's chest, groaning a little. Alex rubbed her back gently, kissing the top of her head.

"You can put the food in the fridge," Alex said, smiling at her sister.

As Kara headed to the kitchen, Maggie got back up, running into the bathroom. Alex sighed as she got up and went to find Kara.

"Hey," the reporter said as Alex walked in, "Shouldn't you be with Maggie? I've got everything handled in here."

"Maggie's back in the bathroom," Alex said with a sigh, "And she doesn't want me in there."

"She doesn't want you to hold her hair back?" Kara asked, remembering when Alex was sick when she was younger, and even as an adult, she always appreciated having someone hold her hair back when she was sick.

"She's not just throwing up," Alex said, shaking her head. Kara thought for a second before understanding hit her, realizing what was going on.

"That really sucks," Kara said sympathetically.

"Yeah," Alex said, taking a bottle of Gatorade and opening it, pouring some of it into a cup, mixing in some water, "Can you freeze this?"

Kara nodded, breathing over it slowly, freezing the mixture into a slush.

"Thanks," Alex said, picking up the cup, adding a spoon to it, "I think I'm probably going to be taking care of Maggie all weekend. Is it ok if we reschedule our sister night that was supposed to be tomorrow?"

"Of course," Kara said, nodding, "I wasn't expecting anything else. How are you doing though? I know you got called in at like three this morning."

"I mean, I'm tired," Alex said honestly, "But nothing I can't handle. Once Maggie stops getting sick, I'm sure she'll just want to crash all weekend too so it'll all work out."

"Alright," Kara said, nodding, "Well, I'm gonna go. Mon-El and I have plans for tonight."

"What are you two doing?" Alex asked.

"A movie at my place," Kara said, smiling.

"Have fun," Alex said, glad her sister had found someone that made her happy, despite of Alex's feeling about the Daximite man who was not great at commitment that she knew Kara needed.

Kara was happy so Alex tried to be also, though she was fully prepared to pick up the pieces if and when Mon-El broke her sister's heart. Kara hugged Alex before flying out the window. Alex headed back into the bedroom, finding Maggie crashed on the bed.

"Hey," Alex said, setting the slushed Gatorade on the nightstand, "Feeling any better?"

"No," Maggie said weakly, turning her head to look at Alex, "I'm starting to feel worse. I think I have a fever. I'm getting the chills."

"I'm so sorry," Alex said, pulling Maggie to her, feeling some heat now radiating from her forehead, "Kara made some Gatorade slush. Do you want to try a little bit?"

"I'm just going to throw it up," Maggie said, shaking her head.

"I'll get a trashcan then," Alex said, going and grabbing one from the corner of the bedroom, "You need to try. You're dehydrating really fast."

"Fine," Maggie said, grumbling as Alex helped her sit up.

"Just take a little," Alex said, knowing Maggie was too weak to hold the glass.

She brought the spoon to the sick woman's lips, getting Maggie to take just a small sip.

"Good," Alex said, putting the spoon back.

Maggie went to lean back to rest, not even making it to the pillow before she sprang back up, heaving into the trashcan that Alex thrust in front of her face. She heaved for five minutes straight, barely able to catch her breath.

"I'm so sorry," Alex said, kissing Maggie's forehead when she finished.

"I need the bathroom," Maggie said, getting up and stumbling back to the bathroom.

There was a lot more of that same pattern for the rest of the night. Around three in the morning, Maggie broke down. She had nothing left in her stomach, yet she continued to feel like the insides of her body were escaping through both ends.

Alex had offered earlier to give her an IV earlier, but Maggie refused. The cop hated needles but didn't want to admit that to her girlfriend. However, after she sat on the toilet for over an hour, dry heaving with her stomach cramping harder than she had ever felt, Maggie caved and asked Alex for the IV.

"I promise I will only have to stick you once," Alex said, looking at Maggie's arms for a good vein. Maggie nodded, grabbing the trashcan that was next to the bed, heaving into it again, bringing up only a mouth full of saliva mixed with bile.

"I hate this," Maggie groaned, rubbing her eyes with the hand Alex wasn't looking at.

"I hate it for you," Alex said, kissing Maggie's sweaty forehead, "This is going to help. I have an anti-nausea/anti-diarrhea medication I'm going to put in your IV. It should help within ten minutes. Hopefully it will stop the spasming and let your body relax."

Maggie nodded, not really caring about what the meds were going to do as long as she could stay out of the bathroom for more than ten consecutive minutes. Alex finally found a vein she wanted, wiping Maggie's hand clean before inserting the needle. Maggie winced, trying not to cry as Alex inserted the needed into her hand.

"I'm almost done, Babe," Alex said gently, sliding the needle in gently, "Got it. I'm done. You can relax. I'm going to start the fluids in just a minute."

Maggie nodded, wiping a tear from her eye.

"Oh, don't cry," Alex said, seeing the tear, "Babe. I'm right here. You're going to feel better soon. I promise."

Maggie nodded, not even totally sure why she was crying other than she felt miserable and no one had ever taken care of her like this before. Alex got the IV bag going, pushing the IV medication to help Maggie feel better. Maggie continued to dry heave for a few more minutes before she felt her body start to calm down.

"There you go," Alex said, taking the trashcan as she watched Maggie's body relax, "The meds are working."

"Thank you," Maggie said shakily as Alex wrapped her in her warm embrace, "No one has ever done that for me before."

"Well, putting in an IV is not something everyone is trained in," Alex said, laughing a little.

"No," Maggie said, shaking her head, "I mean take care of me. No one has done that since I was little."

"Oh Mags," Alex said, pulling her close, kissing her temple, "I will always take care of you. Always."

Maggie just laid against Alex, drifting off to sleep quickly. Alex stayed up for another hour, changing the fluid bag on Maggie and slowing down the drip so this one would last for three hours. Alex then curled up with Maggie, falling asleep.

Three hours later, Alex woke up when Maggie moved in her arms.

"You alright?" Alex asked.

"I feel like I got hit by a truck," Maggie said, rubbing her eyes, "And I need to go to the bathroom?"

"Is your stomach still bothering you?" Alex asked, disconnecting the IV from the fluids bag so Maggie could get up.

"I don't know," Maggie said, getting up and going into the bathroom.

Alex looked at the clock, groaning when she saw it was only 7 am. Maggie came stumbling back to bed about five minutes later, looking wrecked.

"My stomach is less of a mess," Maggie said, climbing back into Alex's arms, "Not great, but I wasn't in there for half an hour so progress. And, I didn't throw up."

"Are you ready for more sleep?" Alex asked, trying to decide if she was going to give Maggie more fluids.

"Mmmmhmmm," Maggie said, already almost asleep.

Alex decided to wait on more fluids to see if Maggie was able to hold something down the next time they woke up. They both fell asleep, not waking up again until noon. Alex woke first, rubbing her tired eyes, seeing Maggie was waking up next to her.

"Morning," Alex said, kissing Maggie's temple, still feeling some warmth, "How are you feeling?"

"Weak," Maggie said, rubbing her forehead, "Achy. Nauseous."

"I'm sorry," Alex said, sitting up, "Do you want to try drinking a little bit? It might make you feel better."

"I probably should," Maggie said, trying to sit up, shaking a little as she did so, "Man, I feel awful."

"You don't have to get out of bed today," Alex said, kissing Maggie's temple, "Let me go grab you some ginger ale."

Maggie nodded, cuddling back under the covers, chills taking over her weak body. Just then, Maggie's phone started ringing. She reached and grabbed it, clearing her throat a little before answering.

"Sawyer," she said, voice still thick with sleep and raw from all the heaving, "Shoot, I forgot. No, I was up all night and I still feel like shit. Food poisoning. I've got a fever still and I haven't kept anything down. No, I'm at Alex's. She gave me an IV last night. Alright, will do. Thanks."

"Who was that?" Alex asked as she walked in with the ginger ale.

"My boss," Maggie said as Alex helped her take a small sip of ginger ale before setting it down on the nightstand, "I forgot I was supposed to work today. He knew I went home sick yesterday though. He wanted to check in and see if I was planning on coming in today. When I told him how sick I had been, he gave me tomorrow off too."

"Good," Alex said, sitting back down on the bed, letting Maggie curl up in her lap, "I need to text J'onn and tell him that I'm unavailable until Monday unless there's an emergency."

"You don't need to do that," Maggie said weakly, shaking her head.

"But I want to," Alex said, kissing Maggie's too-warm forehead, "Plus, I need a break. I've worked 18 plus hour days almost every day this week."

Maggie nodded, glad Alex was willing to slow down a little.

Over the course of the day, Alex learned what sick Maggie was like. She wanted to be cuddle close as often as possible which was a little surprising to Alex because her girlfriend was normally so independent. Maggie let Alex do everything for her all day.

Her stomach was still not great, and she spent some time in the bathroom, though she had, thankfully, stopped throwing up.

Maggie honestly hadn't had anyone take care of her in a long time. She truly loved letting Alex just bring her drinks, hold her close, and make her feel loved. Alex also enjoyed taking care of Maggie. Her girlfriend was typically tried to be as independent as possible, but Alex enjoyed seeing this other side of her.

They spent most of the weekend just relaxing. Alex was exhausted from how long her week had been, having worked two twenty hour days back to back along with 18+ hour days for the rest of the week.

Maggie was a little glad that she had ended up sick because it got her hard headed girlfriend to slow down and rest with her.

By Sunday evening, Maggie was feeling quite a bit better. Her fever had broken earlier that morning, and she had eaten some pasta for dinner that didn't seem to be upsetting her stomach at all. The two women were lounging in bed, just cuddling.

"I wish we didn't have to go to work tomorrow," Maggie said, looking at Alex.

"We could always call in sick," Alex said, smiling at Maggie, "We could say you're still sick, or that I caught what you had."

"I already told Mack I'm feeling better," Maggie said, frowning. Mack was her partner who had checked up on her earlier in the day to see if she was going to be back for their shift tomorrow.

"And I told Kara you had food poisoning which she knows is not contagious," Alex said with a sigh.

"I guess we will just have to be satisfied with tonight then," Maggie said, smiling a little.

"I guess I could be alright with that," Alex said, smiling back at her girlfriend.

"Who would have thought that a weekend that started off with the most violent and disgusting sickness I have ever experienced would have me wishing it would never end," Maggie said, cuddling closer to Alex.

Alex just laughed a little, kissing Maggie's forehead, grateful the she had learned a little more about the woman she loved so much, even though she hoped she didn't need to use her knowledge for a long time.

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**So there it was! Just a cute little one-shot. The next story I'm working on will probably be a two-shot, maybe more. I haven't decided yet. It probably won't be up until next weekend, but maybe earlier if I have time. As always, reviews and story ideas are always welcome! **


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